
Fast forward to the final hours of the 2018 Session with
the legislature up against another deadline and needing a resolution to correct
at least the immediate imbalance in Connecticut’s books. This time, I am happy
to report that cooler, more lucid minds prevailed, and all parties came
together to pass a budget adjustment that begins to erase some of the terrible
mistakes made in the compromise budget – restoring millions of dollars in aid
to small towns across Connecticut (including the towns I represent Southington
and Wolcott) who were shortchanged in the previous plan and then mugged again
by Governor Malloy’s executive authority.
This budget “fix” also restores much of the cuts made to
the Medicare Savings Plan, which helps over 100,000 seniors. Maybe most
importantly, it revokes a substantial amount of the executive authority the
Governor used to circumvent the will of the legislature. Best of all, this plan
contains no new or increased taxes.
Despite those positive attributes, this is still another
imperfect document that fails to address our long-term problems, particularly
our growing debt and pension obligations. I voted yes as did nearly every other
member because of the positives above, and because unlike the previous budget,
it was the result of a genuine compromise with an attention to good public
policy as opposed to election year politics that seems to infect every move the
legislature makes lately.
During the debate, my Republican colleagues and I offered
an even better alternative plan that charts a wiser course going forward, but
it failed on a nearly party-line vote. I am looking hopefully to next session
and a potential change in leadership to see those ideas come to fruition.
That vote was one of the final acts of the 2018 legislative
session. Next month, I will share a recap of what happened. I am thinking of
titling it “the good, bad, and the ugly.”
Until then, I am available whenever you need me.
Please feel free to call my office at (800) 842-1423 or email me at rob.sampson@housegop.ct.gov.
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